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The advantage of not existing

Stories and News No. 1241 Here I am. It’s me, her or him. Regardless us, which must be taken literally. My name is… well, I am… but no, what matter now, on this page? What time does it deserve in your eyes or mind too? Anyway, for what it's worth in most people's lives, I don't exist. Maybe there was a time, there once was, you know? Nowadays the weight of the past depends only on who can really demonstrate their present, here and now. In any case, according to the International Organization for Migration, the number of people who died at sea trying to reach Europe more than doubled in 2021. We are talking about one thousand and one hundred forty-six deaths. Which means eleven times a hundred plus forty plus six. You can read as one hundred and fourteen times ten plus six times one. One dead. One life that ended prematurely. Nonetheless, I am not here to arouse compassion or instill sadness. It has been a year, or rather two, particularly difficult for many in the wo

Anti LGBT Law Hungary story: rights for all or privileges for some

Stories and News No. 1240 From today, July 8, 2021, the so-called anti-Lgbt law by the Orbán government goes into effect in Hungary... Once upon a time, a long one ago, but not too much, in a very distant place, but also not, an island. An island… let's say a tiny islet, a single fruit tree, four shriveled bushes and an equally negligible strip of beach. On the island located in a distant place, but also close, long ago, but that is not certain, there lived two men. Only two inhabitants. Alone. Two. The only two men, two inhabitants, alone, were alone. That is, in the same island, very far away, even if the reverse is also true, in another era, but ours is fine too, they were alone within themselves and did not do much to change this state of affairs. On the other hand, aren't we many, too many, who behave identically? Now, it so happens that after many years the day came when the two collided under the scorching sun and with the roar of the waves as a soundtrack, because

Never again

Stories and News No. 1239 Once upon a time never again . Well there are still of those, much more than you think. They are populations of natives too, in their own way. And like every group of indigenous families, each has a sound name, within which there is all the history that needs to be known. To understand and, above all, do something better tomorrow. Among the best known there is never again war , discovered, evoked and moreover declaimed on the middle of the last century and in a short time exterminated like the others. But also disavowed, humiliated, debased. Equally popular is never again slavery , dating back almost two centuries, but here the crime is far worse. Because not only was it massacred like the previous one. That is, disappointed, abjured and insulted and even manipulated, recalled with other names and further, perverse ways in which to enslave others. At the same time, there are other peoples called never again whose names they gave themselves. Like the one w

Who and what are you feeding?

Stories and News No. 1238 These days I am often thinking about the well-known legend of the two wolves from the Native American people of the Cherokee. For those who do not know it, I summarize it: an old man is trying to teach his grandson a life lesson. “There's a war inside me,” he tells him. “It's a terrible fight and it's between two wolves. One is evil and is made up of anger, envy, pain, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good: it is made up of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The same struggle is happening inside you and inside every other person". The grandson thinks about it for a moment and then asks the grandfather: "Which wolf will win?" The old man replies: "The one you are going to feed". Well, my impression is that the metaphor inherent in this simple but great

Italy not taking the knee? That's why

Stories and News No. 1237 After being divided with only five players who took the knee - typical attitude of my countrymen - the Italian national football team, after much controversy, has agreed to not doing at all before the match with Austria. This gesture, I recall, consists of a symbolic stance against racism remembering the Black Lives Matter movement and moreover Colin Kaepernick’s protest. Up to now the debate on the opportunity to kneel has not been just an Italian quarrel. However, despite being convinced that the mere symbolic act is worth little if not accompanied by a contextual daily, active and concrete action, I am not at all surprised by those in Italy who prefer to see the players standing before the kick-off. Because historically the average italian citizen never kneels before powerful ideals, unless he obeys them because he feels obligated. On the contrary, he literally throws himself on the ground, even becoming a doormat, in front of the men he considers stron

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